Love hurts. The summer’s highly anticipated (and somewhat controversial) horror film is finally out for its wide release. Neon has been on a winning streak lately with films such as Longlegs and Cuckoo, not to mention the ultimate problematic love story, Anora.
Now, they can add Together to their top-tier, bananas film collection. Written and directed by Michael Shanks, Together is a triumph of body horror, toxic relationships, and earnest romance.
The film stars real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco, who also served as producers. Tim (Franco) and Millie (Brie) have been together for years, but find themselves going through a rough patch. They double down by purchasing a house in the countryside, cutting themselves off from everything but each other. However, after an ill-fated hike led them to take shelter in a mysterious cave, Tim and Millie aren’t the same. Their bodies are changing, taking their codependency to a whole new level.
Together focuses on a grounded couple with realistic conflict
Together is supported by pitch-perfect performances from Brie and Franco as a very grounded couple going through realistic conflict. Franco makes us feel for Tim, who is so haunted by family trauma that he fears he is nothing without Millie holding him together. Brie is the perfect counterweight in her sympathetic portrayal of Millie, a woman who is trying her best, but ultimately feels that her partner is dragging her down. In addition, Damon Herriman provides a delightfully enigmatic presence as Millie’s co-worker, Jamie, leaving the audience off balance in the best way.
Tim and Millie are also a unique horror couple for the “boy and girl move to the haunted countryside to fix their problems” genre. Typically, the woman in that relationship is portrayed as irrational and fragile, while the man is steadfast and disbelieving of his wife’s turmoil. Together refreshingly flips this trope on its head. Tim seems disconnected from reality due to his recognition of the supernatural and his fragile emotional state, causing Millie to doubt him and try to take control of the situation to save them both. Their layered dynamic helped me stay grounded in an otherwise outlandish story.
Of course, the gore matters, and it may divide the audience. Compared to recent films like The Substance, fans of the body horror genre may feel that Together has too light a touch. However, everything is just gross enough without veering into torture, which is welcome in a movie that is also about real relationship issues. Don’t worry, though, because there are plenty of gross-out moments, some of which might stick with you because of what you don’t see on the screen rather than what you do. The strong use of practical effects alongside VFX helps everything feel all too real.
Together is also very funny - there were just as many laughs as there were groans at my screening. The most successful jokes are the ones that acknowledge how ridiculous Tim and Millie’s predicament is. The body horror, while effectively nauseating, is also used to add a touch of dark or uncomfortable humor. Plus, the societal perceptions of love and commitment are effectively mocked. All of the red flags that Tim and Millie raise in their new community are met with generic marriage advice (“you just have to push through the hard times,” “love is hard work,” etc.) to the point of absurdity.
Despite some forced logic to help everything come together, Together is a great time for horror fans and brave romantics. Love is messy, and Shanks poses interesting questions about that mess. Every audience member will answer those questions differently based on their own relationship to love and commitment, which is what great cinema is all about.